Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2008-09: Shawn Szydlowski scored 23 goals with 23 assists and was -11 with 80 PMs in his second OHL season with the Erie Otters. In the Otter's five-game, first-round playoff loss to London he scored 2 goals, was an even plus/minus and had 14 PMs.

2009-10: Szydlowski continued to play a physical game while chipping in offensively in his third OHL season with Erie. His 90 PMs were second-most on the Otters while he scored 21 goals with 27 assists with a -14 plus/minus in 65 games. Szydlowski tied for the team lead in points in their first-round playoff series with eventual Memorial Cup-champ Windsor, scoring 1 goal with 4 assists and finishing -1 with 2 PMs in four games.

2010-11: Szydlowski made his pro debut with AHL Portland and signed an entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres in April 2011 after scoring 41 goals for Erie in his final season of junior hockey. In two April games with Portland he was scoreless and -1 with 3 shots on goal. In addition to scoring 41 goals for Erie, he added 37 assists and had a positive plus/minus for the first time in his junior career (+19). He continued his physical play, accumulating 79 PMs, and was effective in odd-man situations, scoring 11 goals on the power play and adding 4 short-handed goals. Erie, which won 40 games for the first time since 2001-02, lost to Windsor in the first round for the second straight year. Szydlowski scored 2 goals with 5 assists and was +3 with 14 PMs in the high-scoring, seven-game series.

2011-12: Szydlowski saw limited ice time in his first pro season; skating in 53 games for Buffalo's AHL affiliate Rochester and playing mostly in a lower line role. He had 8 assists with 21 penalty minutes and was minus-seven for the Amerks. Sent to the ECHL's Gwinnett Gladiators for six games in February, he scored his first professional goal and also had 2 assists.

2012-13: Szydlowski appeared in seven AHL games with Rochester in his second pro season — spending most of the year with the Central Hockey League's Fort Worth Brahmas. In his March stint with the the Amerks, who finished second in the North Division, he was -3 with no points and 4 penalty minutes. Szydlowski scored 10 goals with 16 assists in 45 CHL games and was -14 with 41 penalty minutes. The Brahmas finished third in the regular season and were swept by Wichita after defeating Quad City in a first round series. Szydlowski scored 2 goals with 4 assists and had 12 penalty minutes in seven playoff games.

Talent Analysis

Szydlowski is a strong, physical winger who has the ability to score goals in bunches. His biggest weakness is his lack of footspeed and mobility. He does not have the ability to become a consistent point producer.

Future

Szydlowski spent the majority of the 2012-13 season in the ECHL. Through 62 career AHL games he has yet to score a goal and could spend more time in the ECHL if the drought continues. He currently projects to be a career minor leaguer.

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Photo: Defenseman Alex Lepkowski had a strong playoff run with the Barrie Colts of the OHL. The 20-year-old was a defensive mainstay for the Colts, who finished one win away from a berth in the 2013 Memorial Cup. (courtesy of Terry Wilson/OHL images)

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